Devices for handling tape



P 1959 G. H. FRITZINGER 2,906,426

DEVICES FOR HANDLING TAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1956 Sept. 29, 1959 G, H FR|.TZ|NGER 2,906,426

' DEVICES FOR HANDLING TAPE Filed Aug. 2a, 1956 I Sheets-Sheet 2 IHV EN TOR.

2,906,426 1 DEVICES FOR HANDLING TAPE George H. Fritzinger, West Orange, NJ. Application August 28, 1956, Serial N0. 606,609

8 Claims. 01. 216-30) This invention relates to devices for dispensing, serving and/or applying pressure sensitive tape, and particularly it relates to a novel form of applicator which will accommodate industrial size supply rolls provided typically on cores of three inch diameter. a

An object of the invention is to provide a novel form of tape dispensing device which canbe handled conveniently for various taping operations notwithstanding the relatively large size of the supply roll.

Another object is to provide a tape server or applicator in an elongated form adapted to be held by a handle between the supply roll and an applicator roller for pressing the tape onto a surface to be taped.

Another object is to provide a tape applicator which can be operated to cut the tape either by depressing a fingerpiece or by rocking the applicator unit relative to the surface being taped.

Another object is to provide an industrial applicator which is adapted for applying strips of tape around corners of boxes by simply moving the applicator unit around the corners.

Further objects are to provide a novel industrial applicator wherein the tape is fed through a narrow hollow handle provided between the supply roll and applying mechanism, wherein an applying mechanism is provided for cutting the tape at the end of one taping operation and for feeding out the tape for the start of another taping operation which is of the simple compact form States Patent- C) permitting the unit to be gripped near the applicator roller for accurate control of thepositioning ofthe tape being applied, wherein novel improvements are pro-- vided in a scissors cutting mechanism enabling positive cutting action throughout the width of the tape regardless of its sidewise positioning in the housing, and wherein the supply roll is freely journalled and the tape controlled byta one-way mechanism permitting easy feed-out of the tape without any backfeeding.

' These and other objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In thedeso ription of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

'Figure l is a side elevational view of an industrial tape applicator according to my invention, with a portion' of the side cover broken away for better showing of internalparts;

Figure 2 is'a plan view of this applicator; t

Figure 3' is a fractional sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of' Figure 1 and twice scale for a clearer showing of the mechanism; I

'Figure4 is 'a fractional sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a partial side elevational view of the applicator with an attachment thereon adapting it for applying tapearound corners, the applicator being shown in astarting position for such corner taping operation;

. side wall of the frame section 10a.

'side in Figure 1.

ice

' 2 Figure 7 is another side elevational view of a portion of the applicator with such attachment showing the applicator in its end position of a corner taping operation. Figure 8 is a side elevational view to enlarged scale of the head portion of the applicator shown in Figure .from and two laterally spaced tail members 13 extending from the opposite side walls of the handle. The housing is split on a medial plane 14 into two sections 10a and 101). These sections are preferably drawn metal parts which have the same contour as viewed from the However, these sections have rim flanges respectively turned to the left and right to close the housing over the head portion and along the top and .bottom of the handle. The section 10a serves as "a'frame forithe mechanism of the applicator and the section 1% serves as a side cover which is detachably held in place by suitable means not shown. The tail members 13 have sets of apertures 15, 15a and 15b at intervals therealong for respectively receiving the trunnions 16 of a core 17 for a supply roll 18 of tape at different positions depending on the size of the supply roll. A tape 19 is drawn from the supply roll through the handle with its adhesive side facing downwardly, and is led out through the opening at the bottom of the head portion 11.

In the head portion 11 there is an applicator mechanism, generally referred to as 20, which comprises an applicator roller 21 journalled on a stud 22 secured to the side wall of the frame section 10a in position wherein the roller extends both below and beyond the end of the head portion 11. The applicator roller is to be rolled across a surface to be taped, indicated by the dashtdot line 24, in the direction of the arrow 25 to draw the tape from the supply roll and press it into contact with the surface. The path of the tape from the supply roll leads about centrally through the handle, and then over a feed roller 23 and downwardly to the underside of .the applicator roller. The feed rollerwhich is preferably knurled to reduce its contact area with the adhesive side of the tape-is journalled at about the center of the head portion on a cross pin 26 carried arms far endof ailong lever 27 extending backwardly nearly through, the length of the handle. end the lever is pivoted on a stud 28 secured to the The lever 'comprises two laterally spaced, parallel members as seen in Figure 1, bent upwardly from the sides of a metal strip 27a (Figure 3), which are both apertured to receive the pivot stud 28 at one end and both apertured to receive the cross pin 26 at the other end. Pivoted also on' the pin 26, between the opposite ends of the feed roller 23 and the parallel members of the lever 27 are the upper ends of a downwardly extending lever 29 having the-opposite legs thereof joined along their intermediate por tions by a cross member 30. However, unlike the lever:

27, the opposite legs of the lever 29 are'spread apart as out the width of the housing. This guide roller holds the tape only by adhesive contact in its starting position T shown in Figure 1, as will appear.

Mounted on the lower side of the cross metal strip 27a is a fingerpiece 32 which projects downwardly through a clearance opening 33 in the lower 'side of the handle; "Whennthe fingerpiece is pressed inwardly the lever 2'7 At its back the raised position which it occupies in Figure 7, and

the tape is cut just back of the. applicator roller as is next described.

The cutting means comprises a semi-stationary blade in an inclined position above the applicator roller. The blade has a right side arm 36 and a relatively short left side arm 37 which are pivoted on a transverse pin 38 very close to the blade itself. The pin 38 is carried at its ends by a bracket 39 in the nose of the head portion 11. This bracket comprises a plate 39a secured as by welding to the side wall of the frame section 10a and apertured to receive the right end of the pin 33. Extending crosswise from the front edge of this plate throughout the internal width of the housing is an arm having an apertured lug 39b at its outer end receiving the left end of the pin 38. Also, the bracket has a transverse guide wall 390 bent over from the back edge of the plate 39a. Bent over from the longer side arm 36 of the blade is a lug 40 through which is threaded a screw 41 that bears against the front side of the guide wall 390 under pressure of a compression spring 42 interposed between the lug 40 and the front wall of the frame section 1011, the compression spring being preferably of a frusto-conical shape so that it may have 'a stable seating contact against the frame section as shown in Figure 1. The cutting edge of the blade 35 terminates short of the plane of the guide wall 39c so that it is kept clear of the tape drawn from the feed roller 23 to the applicator roller 21, and this edge is positioned also below the lower edge of the guide wall 39c so that the blade will have freedom for upward shifting movement as it is engaged by a movable blade 43 located in the lower back portion of the head 11 of the frame section.

The blade 43 is mounted on a cross arm 44 at the lower end of a vertical lever 45 positioned against the side wall of the frame section and pivoted on a stud 46 secured to this side wall at the upper part of the head 11. To stabilize this lever it is provided with a cross arm 47 at its upper end, which terminates in an apertured lug 48 pivoted on the outer end of the stud 46. The blade 43 has an inclined cutting edge 43a (Figure 3) provided with an extending guide lug 49 at its outermost end for enabling some leeway in the adjustment of the semi-stationary blade 35 while enabling the guide lug to pick up the latter and cam the blades into scissors engagement as the lever 45 is swung forwardly about its pivot stud 46. In order that the blades will have a positive cutting action throughout the full internal spacing between the side walls of the housing, the lower portion of the side wall of the frame section 10a throughout the travel range of the movable blade 43, is offset outwardly at 50 and the guide lug 49 is positioned in the side recess so formed with the blade 35 being extended into this recess as shown in Figure 3. The tension spring 34 is connected between a screw 51 on the lever 27 and the cross arm 44 carrying the movable blade, the connection being such that the spring biases the blade lever to an open position against a stop pin 52 on the frame section.

The blade lever 45 has a slotted arm 53 extending forwardly from its upper end across the upper portion of the path described by the cross pin 26 as the lever 27 is, rocked upwardly, but the lower finger of this slotted arm is cut short to open the slot to the pin 26 as the pin is raised. By this engagement of the cross pin 26 with the slotted arm 53 the blade lever is moved at the end of, the upward stroke of the lever 27 to-engage the blades tocut the tape.

In order that the cross. pin 26 4 may extend through the side walls of the housing these walls have clearance slots 54.

The lever 29 carrying the guide roller 31 is biased about the cross pin 26 against the back side of the guide wall 390 by means of a light cantilever spring 55 secured to the lever 27 by the screw 51 and extended forwardly and downwardly therefrom to bear against the cross member 30 of the lever 29. During the upward stroke of the lever 27 a front edge of one leg of the lever 29 is slid upwardly on the guide wall to direct the guide roller 31 into the position it occupies in Figure 7. It is undesirable that the guide roller itself ever comes to bear against the guide wall; accordingly, the guide roller is positioned a small distance back from the contacting edge of the lever 29 as is shown in Figure 1. It is important, however, that the guide roller comes into adhesive contact with the tape as the tape is cut. For this reason the guide wall is positioned so that it diverges from the tape proceeding from the applicator roller to the feed roller. By so assuring that the roller 31 is brought into adhesive contact with the tape before the tape is cut the roller will carry the leading portion T of the tape into its dispensing position when pressure is removed from the fiugerpiece to allow the lever 27 to move back through its downward stroke under influence of the return spring 34.

The cutting mechanism already described for severing the tape is not herein claimed as to its broader features since this mechanism is described and claimed in my pend ing application S.N. 355,680, filed May 18, 1953, now Patent No. 2,836,241, issued May 27, 1958, and entitled Scissors Cutters.

In order that there will be maintained a substantially fixed length of tape between the feed roller 23 and the supply roll during the upward stroke of the lever 27 the tape is confined closely to the pivot stud 28 by a roller 56 mounted on a stud 57 secured to the side wall of the handle 12. Such maintenance assures a maximum starting length T for a given stroke of the lever 27.

The supply roll is freely rotatably supported by the journalled core 17 so that the tape can be drawn off with a minimum feed resistance. When the supply roll is freely rotatably supported and located in an open or exposed position on the housing or frame, accidental forces exerted on the supply roll in the manipulating of the applicator unit may cause the tape to be backfed to the extent that the starting length T may be drawn back into the housing. This would require opening the housing and rethreading the tape. To prevent such possible backfeeding I provide a one-way tape clamp comprising simply a bail member 58 having apertured end portions pivoted on the stud 28. This bail is biased upwardly against the far side of the roller 56, with respect to the direction of feed of the tape, by a light cantilever spring 60 secured to the cross member 27a of the lever 27. The bail engages the adhesive side of the tape backed by the roller 56 on a radius line through the pivot axis of the bail, which is at a critical angle slightly less than degrees from the tape leading to the supply roll. Any forces tending to backfeed the tape causes the tape to become clamped tightly between the bail and roller but forces tending to draw the tape from the supply roll cause the clamp to open readily without impeding the feeding of the tape. A stop lug 60a on the end of the spring 60 serves to limit the opening movement of the bail member.

In Figures 6 and 7 the applicator unit is shown with an attachment 61 thereon to adapt it for easily applyin strips of tape around corners such as of boxes. This attachment is a U-shaped member having right and left legs 62 of identical shape joined by a cross member 63 near their outer ends and by a pivot stud 64 at their outer. ends on which is journalled a roller 65. This U member is slightly wider than the housing so that it will s at pin 26 through one or another of several sets of holes 67 therein, the particular set engaged by the pin depend-' ing on the length of tape to be applied to the far side of the box.

In taping around a corner 68 of a box 69 the applicator unit is set down on the first side of the box at the desired distance from the corner as illustrated in Figure 6, and is then drawn towards the corner to apply the tape in the usual way. After the applicator roller passes the corner 68 the applicator unit is simply pressed downwardly with the applicator roller turning on the far side of the box. As the unit is so pressed downwardly the roller 65 is brought to bear against the first side to cause the lever 27 to be rocked relative to the housing, the same as when the fingerpiece 32 is depressed, with the result than when the unit nears the end of its stroke shown in Figure 7 the tape is cut. .Thus, with this attachment no finger manipulation is required to apply tape around corners but only a sweeping motion of the unit as a whole around the corners. This makes corner taping very easy especially for industrial uses.

The attachment 61 makes possible another mode of use of the applicator unit in that at the end of a taping operation the tape may be cut by upwardly tilting the unit as with respect to a surface indicated by the dash dot line 70 in Figure 7. Upon so tilting the unit to cut the tape the unit is provided naturally with a forward thrust which has the desirable effect of causing the second roller 65 to be swept across the applied length of tape as soon as the tape is cut.

The embodiments of my invention herein shown and described are intended to be illustrative and not necessarily limitative of my invention since the same are sub.- ject to changes and modifications Without departure from the scope of my invention which I endeavour to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tape applicator comprising an elongated housing having means at one end for rotatably supporting a supply roll of tape, a handle extending from said supporting means, and an applicator roller at the other end of said handle; a feed roller at said other end of said handle across which the tape is drawn to said applicator roller; a lever pivoted at one end to the back portion of said handle and extending through said handle; means rotatably connecting said feed roller to the other end of said lever; means for shifting said lever and for returning the lever when the shifting means is released; a scissors mechanism actuated bysaid shifting means to cut the tape; and guide means for feeding out a starting length of tape by release of said shifting means after the tape is cut, said guide means comprising a member for holding to the tape by adhesive contact, a lever carrying said holding member and pivoted to said first-stated lever, means biasing said last-stated lever in one direction, and a guide member in said housing slidably engaged by said last-stated lever for directing said contacting member as said shifting meansis actuated.

2. A tape applicator comprising an elongated housing having an applicator mechanism in one end including an applicator roller extending below and beyond a corner of the housing, a support for a supply roll of tape at the other end of the housing and a hollow intervening handle through which the tape is fed, said handle being adapted to be gripped by the hand to hold the housing in a slightly upwardly inclined dispensing position relative to the surface to be taped while advancing the housing with said roller pressing the tape into adhesive contact with said surface, said applicator mechanism includ-' ing spring urged means actuatable to cut the tape adjacent said applicator roller and releasable to feed outa starting length of tape past said roller; an arm extending beyond said one end of the housing in a direction generally opposite to that of said handle for operating said astuatable means as the arm is raised; and a pressure memher on said arm in a position to the rear of'saidhousing with respect to its direction of advance and at a clearance distance above the surface being taped when the housing is held in said dispensing relation to said surface whereby upon applying tape from one surface and around a corner onto another surface without angularly shifting said housing said pressure member is brought to bear against said one surface and moved in relation to said housing to automatically cut the tape when a predetermined length has been applied to said other surface.

3. A tape dispenser comprising a housing having means for supporting a supply roll of tape; means mounted on said housing for releasably holding a free end portion of the tape in a dispensing position; sidelguide walls on said housing for confining the tape sidewise of the housing in its feed from said supply roll to said holding means; and acutting mechanism comprising two separable blades at opposite sides of the tape pivotally mounted for interengagement in scissors relation to cut the tape, said blades having cutting edges at a cutting angle and each being extended beyond the plane of one of said side 'walls, and one of said blades having a guide lug at its outermost corner beyond said one side wall and extending from the cutting edge of the blade generally towards the other blade at an angle to the path of relative movement between the blades for camming the other blade in scissors engagement as the blades are closed.

4. A dispenser for tape having a permanently tacky pressure-sensitive surface comprising a frame adapted to be held by the hand; means on said frame for freely rotatably supporting a supply roll of tape in an open exposed position; means on said frame for releasably holding an end portion of the tape drawn from said supply roll in a dispensing position; and a one-way feed control on said frame engaging an intermediate portion of the tape between said supply roll and said holding means for permitting easy withdrawal of tape from said supply roll without permitting movement of the tape responsive to forces exerted on said supply roll tending to backfeed it through the dispenser, said feed control comprising a member backing the non-adhesive side of the tape and a cooperating pivoted member at the adhesive side of the tape having an end face for engaging the adhesive side of the tape on a radius line of the pivoted member at an angle slightly less than degrees to the adhesive side of the tape backed by said backing member and leading to said supply roll whereby the adhesive contact of said tape with said end face causes said pivoted member to be drawn with a wedging action against said backing member when forces are applied to the tape tending to backfeed the same and causes the pivoted member to be drawn away from the backing member as the tape is pulled from the supply roll.

5. In a tape dispenser having a frame with means for suporting a supply roll of pressure-sensitive tape and a guide roller for adhesively contacting the tape to hold an end portion releasably in a dispensing position: the combination of a feed roller across which the tape is drawn in its path from said supply roll to said dispensing 7 said feed roller and said dispensing position to cause the guide roller to contact the adhesive side of the tape under influence of said biasing means when said moving means is operated.

6. A tape dispenser comprising a frame; means on said frame for supporting a supply roll of tape; means at an outer end portion of said frame for releasably holding a free end portion of the tape drawn from said supply roll in a dispensing position; said frame having side walls adjacent to said dispensing position for confining the tape in directions sidewise of said frame, at least one of said walls being offset outwardly at said dispensing position; and a scissors cutter comprising cooperable blades at opposite sides of the tape extending crosswise of the dispenser substantially from said offset wall to at least substantially the opposite one of said walls and pivoted for relative movement along said walls into progressive engagement to cut the tape.

7. A tape applicator comprising an elongated housing in the form of a tubular handle having arms extending rearwardly from the opposite side walls thereof and having a head portion at the forward end of the handle open at the bottom, a core journalled between said arms for carrying a supply roll of pressure sensitive tape in an open exposed position at the rear of said handle, an applicator roller mounted on the lower part of said head portion and extending partially through said opening, the tape being drawn from said supply roll and threaded through said handle into said head portion and across the outer side of said applicator roller with the adhesive side of the tape facing away from the applicator roller, a mechanism in said head portion and handle operable to cut the tape and including shiftable means movable upon release of the mechanism from an operated position to feed out a starting length of tape past said applicator roller, means biasing said mechanism into its released position, a finger-piece projecting from said handle for operating said mechanism, and one-way control means in said housing for engaging the tape to limit feed of the tape in the direction of withdrawal-from said supply roll.

8. A tape applicator comprising an elongated housing having a tubular handle provided with arms extending rearwardly from the opposite side walls thereof and provided with a head portion at the forward end of the handle extending below the handle and open at the bottom thereof, a core journalled between said arms for carrying a supply roll of pressure sensitive tape in an open position at the rear of the handle, an applicator roller mounted rotatably within the lower portion of said head portion and extending through the opening therein, a rocker pivoted to said housing within said handle and extending lengthwise of the handle into said head portion, a feed roller journalled on the free end of said rocker, the tape being drawn from said supply roll and threaded through said handle across said feed roller and below said applicator roller with the adhesive side of the tape contacting the feed roller and facing away from the applicator roller, a fingerpiece on said rocker extending beyond said handle foractuating the rocker to increase the length of path of the tape from said supply roll to said applicator roller as the fingerpiece is pressed inwardly, a guide lever pivoted to and depending from the free end of said rocker, a guide roller journalled to the free 1 end of said guide lever for releaseably holding a starting length of the tape adjacent said applicator roller, and means for cutting the tape adjacent said applicator roller as said iingerpiece is pressed inwardly comprising a blade actuating lever pivoted to the upper part of the head portion of the housing and having an intermediate cam memher, and a side member on said rocker for engagingsaid cam member to actuate said blade lever at the end of the stroke of the rocker.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,235,704 Gorbatenko et a1 Mar. 18, 1941 2,487,351 Marsh Nov. 8, 1949 2,582,980 Fritzinger Jan. 22, 1952 2,619,248 Menge Nov. 25, 1952 2,741,220 Belisle Apr. 10, 1956 

